Monday, August 24, 2009

After I ripped this lp, I went searching for a cover image. Lo-and behold I turned up rips on two of my favorite watering holes, Orgy In Rhythm and My Jazz World.

Damn - foiled again!!

I see its been about a year and a half between posts so I guess it might be time again to offer this overlooked lp. This is ripped from my vinyl and not ganked from either of those sitesl.

This lp was too far out for me when I bought it, and even back then my small record collection was more esoteric than most. But it survived the fire 0f '78 and that alone made it an institution of my collection.

But was it a good record? I'm sure I dragged out it occasionally over the years but probably at bad times. Those times late at night fueled by er... uhmm.. lets move on shall we?

Turn clock forward 30 years...I'm amazed and happy that this still resides in the colection.

Cannonball Adderley Quintet & Orchestra features three songs, each penned by different authors. Joe Zawinul wrote 'Experience In E', 'Tensity' is by David Axelrod and Lalo Schifrin was responsible for 'Dialogues For Jazz Quintet and Orchestra'.

'Experience In E' and 'Dialogues For Jazz Quintet' gravitate back and forth between Free Jazz and heavily orchestrated Bop. There’s a nice middle part in the former, and a short bass and drum part in the latter that could be looped. 'Tensity' is the best of the three as it has a strong backbeat to a Soul-Jazz melody. It’s been sampled several times as well.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Hide the kids, cover the bird, put the dog out. You're going to have to turn this lp up. Rest assured Dizzy is going to wail. Not like he did 25 years earlier, but the man can entertain.

I can only believe that when these guys first met, Diz referenced Sonny Rollins' lp The Bridge. Not a tribute nor an imitation of that lp, Diz used the same line up and came up with a record that felt the same way.

This record never received the acclaim of The Bridge. I doubt if that was it's aspiration. A smoking session that is so over looked it is criminal.

One of my favorite covers, this shot from the recording session. You see the fun, you can only imagine the fire.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Another of those understated Pablo records. Granz' ability to match artists was beyond reknown at this point, yet he still managed to come up with new and interesting combinations.

Here we get two fellows who had reached some critical fame earlier in their careers but somehow never managed to capture the public eye. Both remained understated and under appreciated all their lives.

This may have been the session where it dawned on me that some of these records were worth having. I was enthralled with Stan Getz' records and had recently discovered Peacocks with him and Rowles. I had never heard Rowles before but was suitably impressed. I didn't realize that later I would find Zoot Sims far more interesting than Stan Getz. I bought the record, I dug it and I filed it away.

Somewhat later when I was digging Zoot's special brand of cool, I pulled this out. Today I do not see it as anything groundbreaking like I might have back then, but I do know it's importance in my jazz education. And it's still a swell record.

And Neil Hefti's Legs has got to be one of the greatest examples of an evergreen that I know.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

I love Sun Ra sessions. His sidemen are not well known outside their own circle, which may seem damning praise. It's not meant to be. I have never found a Sun Ra record that does not bring about a smile.

Like Duke and Mingus, Ra was a leader who knew exactly what he wanted, and knew just who he needed to coax into that perfect little solo.

This is a rather straight forward session from 1968 that never feels trite. I'm thinking this is just as Sun was trying to make the leap from local Chicago notoriety to a larger stage.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

When I was younger I spent many an hour digging through crates looking for Black Lion releases. Those were the shit. Even though a lot of these same artists were appearing on these Pablo releases, I just thought they would not be cool.

Jazz was not cool back then. At least not what I perceived as current jazz. I was lost - and generally stoned most of the time. I thought these Pablo records would sound kinda..well I thought I would be bored. Youth has a way of screwing you. I remember these records in cut out bins for .99. Bet I coulda zoned out just fine.

Damn shame. These are some very fine sessions. I'm gonna put a few up and I'm hoping you'll find something you like. All from vinyl...

Thursday, August 13, 2009

I first heard of Lee Morgan through his tune Rumproller or something, whatever his other big "hit" was. I was never terribly impressed although his skills were not lacking. But while reading a book on Hard Bop I was convinced to check out his solo on Caribbean Fire Dance by Joe Henderson. Holy shit!!!

Subsequently I started looking for Morgan lps. I never found anything to match the spark of that solo but I did find some decent records.

The recording I present here is once again from my vinyl copy but that is not exactly the same cover. Mine is blue, credited only to Lee Morgan (not Quintet) and is not an OJC reissue. But it is a reissue which brings me to why I would post it in the first place.

My reissue is a 1981 Prestige release. The original was released on Jazzland in 1962. I bought my copy sometime in the early 90's. As I was looking for records to post, a task becoming increasingly difficult and was listening to this, it occurred to me...my vinyl copy of this record is 27 years old. Or 8 years older than the record it was intended to replace.

I know I will never own an original copy of this lp. There is no point at my age and lifestyle. My reissue copy will never be worth squat. Yet somehow I feel a deep satisfaction in being able to listen to an almost 30 year lp. So in keeping with my original intention of this blog, here is my copy...warts and all.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

These 1945 recordings are from a disc curiously titled "The Complete Recordings 1949~1950" Hmmmm.

When Anita O'Day was at her swingin'est, no one could touch her. Personal opinion of course. Sadly there are only 9 songs here, which are credited as a "bonus session". The first 4 tracks appear to be her 1st date as leader, and were recorded in LA, 1.18.45.

She joins the King Cole Trio at a transcription date (LA 2.10.45) for the last 5 tracks. The liner notes point out that this is the only time she was recorded without a drummer. It is also pointed out that, except for Penthouse Serenade, these remain the only versions of these songs she ever recorded.

A short set but wholly worthwhile.

The rest of the disc is OK but with an odd assortment of country songs, novelty songs and standards. And I should attach them here as well sometime.

1. Them There Eyes2. Memories Of You3. How Come?4. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me5. Ain't Misbehavin'6. Penthouse Serenade7. Lonesome Road8. I Can't Give You Anything But Love9. Rosetta

Saturday, August 8, 2009

I have to admit that even though I was familiar with the name Henry Threadgill, I had no idea what sort of music he played. I even, for some reason, incorrectly assumed he played the guitar. Not being a huge fan of jazz guitar, this may have been part of the reason for my ignorance of such a great musician.Having said that I approached reviewing this record with some trepidation. I quickly realized my fears were completely unfounded.The lp starts off with Bermuda Blues, a loping bass/percussion rhythm that quickly turns funky with the addition of a dual horn onslaught that has the group trading choruses in a matter of seconds. From there the track just turns funkier. The horn solos are full of fire, while the bottom line never veers from its stunning rolling accompaniment. This is the way to reel someone in on a new recording. The rest of the lp ranges from the sublime and beautiful (Silver and Gold, Paille Street), to decent boppish fare (Good Times) to selections that seem to be on the verge of crashing into cacophony before being herded back in line (To Be Announced, Theme from Thomas Cole).Perhaps it is the unusual line up, trumpet, trombone, cello and multiple percussionists, plus Threadgill's multi-instrumental additions that keeps this thing so interesting. Perhaps it is the quality of songwriting and arranging, also credited to Threadgill. Whatever it is, this has quickly become a favorite at Chez Hook.Post review research has shown that Threadgill comes from the AACM collective, which I don't find surprising in retrospect. It is also an outstanding example of why I have been exploring this pathway so much more so in recent years.

Henry Threadgill Sextett - You Know The Number

1. Bermuda Blues2. Silver and Gold baby, Silver and Gold3. Theme from Thomas Cole4. Good Times5. To Be Announced6. Paille Street7. Those Who Eat Cookies

In all fairness, it should be stated that I asked and accepted CIA's offer to review a record and this is what I was sent. Without that great blog, I probably never would have stumbled across this record. That is where the original review was posted.

Some post review thoughts -a.) Obviously Rab was more familiar with my taste than even I was, as this record quickly became a favorite and took several weeks to review for fear of overly gushing on about it.b.) While research has shown this is often cited as Threadgill's most accessible lp, I intend to delve further into the man's

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Billy Bang's virtuosity and ability to bring the violin into the modern jazz canon is unrivaled. His adaptability to various idioms is well documented, especially his work with Kahil el Zabar's Ritual Trio. Perfect recordings and highly recommended. These two recordings, made 3 years apart are surely the pinnacle of his career.Somehow after spending time in the jungles of Vietnam during the infamous Tet Offensive, he still managed to walk away with an interest in the native sounds. Whether that happened then or it was something he dug into later, I'm not sure but all of us benefit from these incredible lps.The themes and titles are irreverent at times, and the music itself often digs deep into the local sounds burying them in modern jazz, but the feeling of SE Asia is there for those that want to listen.

The Facts

Essentially these posts are records taken from my own personal collection. The contributions are clearly marked.For the most part everything is taken directly from vinyl, and is mp3 320 format. These recordings are not run through a computer or any other editing software. You are hearing what I hear as I sit in my living room sipping a cool bourbon. This is the raw product and oftentimes it has seen better days. But these lps have found a loving home in their old age. I hope you enjoy them as much as me.I'm not here as an expert, just a fan. It's all about the joy music instills.

DIGGIN' THESE

Reposts for your pleasure

I will repost some records if there is interest. Best to leave an email address when you request, that way if I don't repost the lp I can at least send you a private link. If I am going to repost a recording, I will update the post completely and put it on the front page.

The music contained in this blog is intended for educational, non-commercial use. It is intended to create wild passionate feelings in the listeners. I will be in no way held responsible for any nights of drinking and love-making that these records may inspire, nor will I be responsible for any offspring. The music is transferred from what are believed to be out-of-print sources. If any of these files infringe upon rights that you hold, please notify us so that we can quickly remove the referenced items.